CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1769, 21 October 1879, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, Octodke 20. A special meeting of the Council was held for the purpose of confirming the resolution previously passed on 13th September, respecting the watering rate for certain parts of the city. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Ors. Sing, Bishop, Vincent, Hulbert, Cuff, Taylor, England, Ayers, Wyatt, and G-apes. The Town Clerk having]laid on the table the necessary notices, Or. King moved—" That this Council confirm the resolution passed at the special meeting held on 13th September respecting the striking of a watering rate of lld in the £ in certain streets of the city." Cr. Ayers seconded the motion, which was agreed to.

Or. King then moved—" That the ratebook be now uignod in conformity with clause 41 of the Bating Act." Cr. Ayers seconded the motion, which was agreed to, and the rate book signed by the Mayor and three Councillors, and sealed with the corporation seal. The ordinary business was then proceeded with. The Mayor said a deputation respecting the bridge over the river near the College into the park wished to see the Council. It was resolved that they be heard at once. Mr W. B. Mitchell Land Mr] W. Pratt waited on the Council to ask for assistance on the part of the Council to make the bridge over the river by the College twice the width. It would cost some £7O, and the deputation pointed out that the sports committee had only an interest in it for one day. Yet they had contributed £25 out of their funds towards it. The City Counoil, looking at the work as one of the bridgeß in the city, would see that the bridge required immediate_ repairs and addition in order to make it sufficient for traffic. The Mayor said he thought the Council should take this matter in hand, and vote a similar sum of money to that voted by the sports committoe. By this means the public would be able to recognise more fully that the park belonged to them. Cr. Bishop moved—" That the sum of £25 be voted by the Council towards the work of strengthening and widening the bridge over the river by the College." Cr. King seconded the motion. After some remarks from Mr Mitchell and several Councillors, the motion was then put and agreed to unanimously. Tho receipts for the week were stated to be £1303 43 lid, and the debtor balance at tho bank was stated as being £3116 143. Bills to the amount of £4ll 4s 9d were passed, and ordered to bo paid. The accounts, as audited, were laid on the table. Cr. Taylor gave notice of motion for a return to be prepared at next meeting of the cost of maintaining the streets before and since they had been broken up by the Drainage Board. In reply to Cr. Ayers, The Mayor said on turning to the correspondence he found that it was a fact that half the cost of any works done on the Lincoln road would be recouped by the Selwyn County Counoil. A letter was read from the Sydenham Borough Council, asking the City Council to join in a conference with that body as to the South town Belt question. The Mayor briefly explained what had been done in this matter by the late Council. Cr. Ayers said that while opposing a second conference with the old Council, he would now, as the Council was an entirely new one, move—" That the conference be held." Cr. England seconded the motion, which, after some remarks from Cr. Vincent, was agreed to. The report of the city surveyor was read as follows: No. 1. A sketch ef the proposed bell tower will be laid before the Council. The tower will be in front of the main building in Lichfield street and attached to it. The lower portion will form the entrance to the Eire Brigado station, and over the entrance will be a small store room. The present tower will be removed and the roof made good. The height of the proposed tower is 53ft. The portion colored distinguishes the tower from the old building. No. 2. Some of the men have been discharged from Lower High street work, and the remainder will have to leave this week as the work will be finished. No. 3. I am quite at a loss now where to put the sweepings of the streets and channels. No. 4. The roan horse was sold on Saturday for £3O. C. Walkden, City Surveyor. The clauses of the report were considered seriatim. The first clause was adopted. On clause 3 some discussion arose, and ultimately it was agreed to remit the matter to the works committee. On clause 4 the Mayor said that six years ago the horse referred to had been bought for £4O. i Or. Bishop, as chairman of the by-law > committee, reported that they had waited on the city solicitor, and requested his opinion on the subject of the effect of the building by-law on the shifting of houses, and his opinion was that the removal of a house from one part of the city to another constituted it a new houso under the by-law. Or. Taylor, as chairman of the finance committee, said their position was just this, that the works committee wanted far more money than the present state of their finances warranted. The position was this—That their estimated expenditure for the last six months of the year was £16,612, and their estimated receipts £11,212, whioh contemplated the receipt of their subsidy, which, under the present state of colonial finance, was very doubtful. Thus they would see that their expenditure would exceed their revenue by over £SOOO. He would therefore urge upon the Council to use the utmost economy, and the works committee not to spend more money than was absolutely necessary. The committee would recommend that tho work of shingling the North Town belt and that on Oxford terrace should be dispensed with for the present. Cr. Cuff strongly supported the remarks of Or. Taylor. In reply to Cr. Hulbert, Or. Taylor said the deficit of £SOOO was shown after taking credit for all the rates due, and also the Government subsidy. Cr. Bishop could not see, if the Finance Committee showed a debit of £SOOO after all was reaeived that was coming to them, how they were going to meet it at the end of the year. Cr. Taylor pointed out that the subsidy, instead of reaching £6OOO as estimated, had only come to £4OOO. After some discussion, in the course of which tho Mayor said ;that the drainage rate account owed the general rate account some £2OOO, the matter dropped. Cr. Cuff then moved—" That in future the Bum paid to the Mayor for official expenditure during his term of office should be any sum payable, from time to time, in such amounts as may be voted by the Council." He desired to point out that the vote was not as a salary, but as a grant for official expenses. One year they might have causes which would only necessitate the expenditure of £2OO, whilst another year there might be £4OO or £SOO. He did not want to see the Mayor coming to the Council to have small sums voted by the Council. He should propose to have an imprest taken, which should be started with say £IOO, and the items could be voted as necessity arose. Where, thon, was the harm of having the money voted in this way. This year, he thought, was a fair one to begin. Nearly all the Counoil, or a great number of them, were new, so that no better time could be made for a start. Cr. Gapes and the present Mayor had served the office, and the other candidate, Cr. Ayers, though an old councillor, was yet but a young one, and therefore his claims—— Cr. Ayers rose to a point of order. This was not a place to discuss the candidates for the mayoralty. The Mayor ruled Cr. Cuff out of order. Cr. Cuff would withdraw the remark, and moved the motion. Or. Gapes seconded the motion, and took occasion to deny a statement which had been made that he had not spent the £3OO voted. He had done so, and a great deal more. Cr. Taylor opposed the resolution, as he thought that it was a great mistake to have brought this matter forward. Cr. Ayers coincided with Cr. Taylor, and characterised the arguments used by Or. Cuff as "hollow" in the extreme. He looked upon the resolution as being in the interest of one class against the other, and this he objected to, as he considered that the honors the city had to bestow Bhould be bestowed on those who did the work of the city. Crs. King and Hulbert opposed the resolution. Cr. Cuff having replied, the motion was put, with the following result:—Ayes : Crs. Gapes, Bishop, and Cuff. Noes : Crs. King, Vincent, Taylor, Hulbert, Wyatt, England, and Ayers. The motion was therefore lost. Cr. England moved—" That hereafter before any private street, court, or alley laid off after this date shall be built upon, and before the city surveyor shall give authority to any person to build on any land abutting upon such private streets, courts, or alleys, tho original owner laying off the same for building sites shall first have the said private streets, oourts, or alleys formed and shingled as the Council shall direct. And in accordance with the Municipal Act and amendments, the Counoil shall take over all such private streets, courts or alleys on the city surveyor certifying that the provisions of the said Act and amendments have been complied with; and that all resolutions bearing on the subject on the minutes of the Council be revoked.' Or. Cuff seconded the motion pro forma. After a lengthy discussion,

Cr. Hulbert moved as an amendent —" That the matter bo referred tojtho works committee for them to report upon the same, and to bring up all resolutions bearing on the matter at next meeting of the Council." Cr. Avers seconded the amendment. The resolution of Cr. England having been withdrawn the amendment was put and carried. Or. Cuff moved—" That two disinterested persons be appointed, one by the Council and one by the contractor, to report to this Council on the value of the work and material of the East belt bridge, with a view to a final settlement being made, and that the resolution of the Council of August 26;h bo revoked." Cr. Gapes seconded the motion, and suggested that a third party should be enabled to be appointed by the arbitrators in case of the two not agreeing. Cr. Cuff agreed to this alteration being made. A lengthened discussion ensued, after which Cr. Taylor moved as am amendment — " That two disinterested persons be appointed to consider the whole question with regard to the East belt bridge, and to report to this Council in a fortnight, with a view to settlement of the matter. One of the arbitrators to be appointed by the Council and one by the contractor. In case of disagreement between the arbitrators they to have power to call in an umpire if necessary." The amendment after some discussion was withdrawn in favor of the following resolution moved by Cr. Bishop—" That the Council are willing to submit the dispute between them and the contractor to arbitration without hampering conditions. The arbitrators to be appointed in the usual way." Cr. Lambert seconded the amendment, which was put and carried by 8 to 2. Cr. King moved —" That notices be given to owners of property having gorse hedges on the Bame within the limit of the city, calling their attention to section xiv., No. 3, of the Canterbury Gorse Ordinance, and of our intion to enforce the penalty upon the infringement of the said Ordinance after due notice had been given by the Council." Cr. Bishop seconded the motion. After a few words from Crs. England and Cuff the motion was put and carried, Crs. Cuff and England only dissenting. Cr. England moved—" That a Commission be appointed to consider and revise the prolent building by-kw; said commission to consist of the members of the by-law committee, two architects, and two builders. The commission to report to the Council as early as possible." Cr. Ayers seconded the motion. Cr. Lambert suggested that as the Dunedin Council were now revising their by-laws after the late fire, they might get some very valuable suggestions from them. After some further remarks, the motion was put and carried unanimously. Or. Taylor moved—" That the surveyor be instructed to prepare a statement showing the difference in cost of maintaining the streets of uhristchurch since the operations of the Drainage Board and previous to that time, the report to be submitted at next meeting." Cr. Hulbert seconded the motion, which was carried. The Council then adjourned.